By Jovana Fitzgerald, PBI Law Clerk
Partners in Minnesota are taking an integrated approach to serving those in need. In November 2025, the Minnesota Collaborative Justice Project, in partnership with Faegre Drinker*†, Adult Representation Services, Volunteer Lawyer’s Network, Bellis, and the Minnesota Department of Corrections hosted its third clinic at Shakopee Women’s Correctional Facility. The program was attended by 14 residents, and featured an educational session, conversations with a Juvenile Court Judge, and one-on-one brief advice sessions with an attorney.
Parenting from Prison
The Sentencing Project, a nonprofit that conducts research and advocacy for sentencing reform, reports sobering statistics about women in prison. Since 1980, the number of women incarcerated in the United States has increased more than seven times, growing from 26,326 in 1980 to 186,244 in 2023. More than 60% of women incarcerated in state prisons are mothers.
Incarcerated mothers typically face many challenges that can impact their parenting. The ACLU National Prison Project reported in 2024 that “[w]omen often become entangled with the criminal legal system due to trying to cope with poverty, limited access to child care, underemployment or unemployment, unstable housing, and physical and mental health challenges.” Furthermore, women in prison often have “histories of physical and sexual abuse, trauma, and mental health and substance use disorders.” Many state women’s prisons are located in rural areas lacking public transit, making in-person visits extremely difficult. Separation from children creates significant difficulties for mothers both while incarcerated and after release.
The Shakopee Clinic was created to serve this underserved population.
Parenting & Prison Legal Clinic
Overview of the Clinic
The clinic takes place over an afternoon and involves multiple components to address a variety of needs. The clinic is driven by the various volunteers who ensure the success of the program. The program begins with an educational presentation for all participants, explaining common family and juvenile law topics, such as a “know your rights” training and introduction to the family and juvenile court systems. Following the educational session, attendees have the opportunity to speak with a sitting Juvenile Court Judge to better understand the system and their future efforts to reunite with their children. Next, there is an open Q&A with the Judge and attorneys.
Finally, the clinic ends with one-on-one 25-minute sessions for brief legal advice. This year, the clinic organizers tried something new and invited participants to submit information regarding their legal issues prior to the clinic, so the attorneys could come prepared to provide in-depth legal advice more efficiently. While the one-on-one legal advice sessions are taking place, participants also have the opportunity to meet with the support team from Bellis, who provide grief counseling to parents whose children are being parented by others.
Impact of the Clinic
Courts often look for continuous loving relationships between mother and child when determining custody upon release. Thus, the clinic works to assist incarcerated mothers with keeping, maintaining, and expanding their relationship with their children while they’re incarcerated. The clinic is open to all moms regardless of their release date; however, release date information is collected to ensure that the participants get the most accurate legal advice.
While this is the third clinic at Shakopee, it is the fifth overall; two clinics were hosted in the community for formerly-incarcerated parents. Throughout these five programs more than 50 parents have been served. The most recent clinic saw some repeat moms who had participated in one of the prior clinic programs.
Feedback from the surveys collected at the end of each clinic show that many moms leave feeling better prepared for the future.
Future of the clinic
Currently, the clinic takes place sporadically, but the partners are hoping to make the clinic a staple at Shakopee. The goals are to operate the clinic on a more regular basis; to be able to provide more frequent legal advice; and to assist should any changes or questions arise over time for the incarcerated moms. The organizers would also like to connect with local law schools and other attorneys to allow this clinic to expand and support more moms.
This clinic provides invaluable support to moms who may not know where their child is, who is raising their child, or how their child is doing. This clinic aims to support moms, so that when they are released, they have the ability to strengthen and build crucial bonds with their children. Allowing parents to connect with their kids while they’re incarcerated is critical to both the mother’s and the child’s well-being.
Special Thanks to the Volunteers Who Keep the Clinic Going
This clinic wouldn’t be possible without all of the partners willing to give their time and pro bono services to support the moms, including:
Adult Representation Services (“ARS”) Attorneys + Law Clerks
Minnesota Collaborative Justice Project
Three organizations have taken a lead role in planning the clinics: Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath is one of the main driving forces behind the clinic. One of the partners has a specific driving interest in supporting incarcerated moms and has worked tirelessly to get this clinic up and running and expanding as it has over the years.
Adult Representation Services (“ARS”) Attorneys are experts in assisting incarcerated parents with parenting from prison. ARS assists parents in child protection. They are specific to Hennepin county and thus able to provide localized expertise as well. ARS leads the introductory education session bringing emphasis to the legal framework of guardianship and legal rights.
Minnesota Collaborative Justice Project (“MNCJP”) is an initiative of Pro Bono Institute dedicated to improving reentry outcomes in Minnesota. The MNCJP assists the clinic by coordinating the volunteers and participants and making sure there are sufficient volunteers to provide legal assistance. MNCJP also collects the feedback and works with the other partners to improve and expand the clinic.
Information for this article was provided by Hillary Richard, Minnesota Collaborative Justice Project + Great North Innocence Project.
† = Law Firm Pro Bono Project Member
* = Law Firm Pro Bono Challenge® Signatory